Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Jonnu Smith

Tuesday, September 16, 10:42 AM

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz has been on a scoring tear, finding the end zone eight times in his last nine regular-season games while averaging over 11 half-PPR fantasy points per contest. The veteran has been a steady safety blanket for young quarterback Jayden Daniels, running a route on over 80% of dropbacks in each of the first two weeks. However, Daniels is questionable for Week 3 with a knee injury, and his absence could cap Ertz's upside. Still, Ertz remains a strong waiver-wire target for tight-end-needy teams, with the caveat that his value is tied closely to Daniels being under center.

Tuesday, September 16, 7:15 PM

Through two weeks of the 2025 campaign, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith has caught nine passes for 42 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. While the production hasn't popped for fantasy yet, Smith's usage in his first year as a Steeler is encouraging. In addition to besting teammate Pat Freiermuth in snaps and routes run, Smith is averaging three designed opportunities per game, the most of any tight end in the NFL. Pittsburgh's offense still needs to find its rhythm before Smith can be trusted every week, but he's firmly on the streaming radar. The ninth-year pro carries some PPR upside in Week 3 against the New England Patriots.